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Belfast Events and Belfast Festivals
(Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK)



Belfast has a number of lively festivals and events which take place throughout the year, in and around central Belfast. The residents of Belfast like to party and Belfast's extensive calendar of festivals and events include lively street fairs, carnivals, parades and numerous sporting events. Local Belfast newspapers and leading magazines in the city regularly publish the latest cultural events and Belfast festivals, and also contain up-to-date listings of events nearby Belfast.

Belfast's helpful tourist information office is always a useful source for current events and festivals in this part of Northern Ireland. Many of the events and festivals in Belfast draw enormous crowds of both participants and spectators, and provide tourists with a wide range of things to see and do whilst staying in the exciting city of Belfast.




National Public Holidays in Belfast

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• 17th March - St. Patrick's Day
• Late March or early April - Good Friday / Easter Monday
• First Monday in May - May Day
• First Monday in June
• First Monday in August
• Last Monday in October - Autumn Bank Holiday
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day

(If Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next weekday becomes a public holiday).

Belfast Calendar of Festivals and Events - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

Belfast Events and Festivals in January - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• New Year's Eve / Day - there are celebrations throughout Belfast to welcome in the New Year

Belfast Events and Festivals in February - Belfast, Northern Ireland

• Belfast Castlereagh Verbal Arts Festival - mid-February, lasting around two weeks, this exciting Belfast festival is free and includes poetry, writers, music and drama

Belfast Events and Festivals in March - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• Belfast St. Patrick's Day Parade - mid-March, general festivities and events take place throughout Belfast and celebrations include carnivals, parties, music events and parades
• Belfast Film Festival - late March, Belfast's most important film festival lasts around nine days and is held at various venues around central Belfast

Belfast Events and Festivals in April - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• Belfast Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival - late April / early May, lasting around ten days, this Belfast festival features entertainment, performers, music, comedy, food, art and literature

Belfast Events and Festivals in May - Belfast, Northern Ireland

• Belfast Marathon - early May, this large and popular sporting events attracts large numbers of both runners and cheering spectators in central Belfast
• Lord Mayor's Show - mid-May, this Belfast event includes a carnival parade through the centre of Belfast, which starts at the Carrickfergus Gasworks Museum
• Belfast Race for Life - mid-May, a 5 km / 3 mile women's walk in aid of Cancer Research, starting at Belfast's Ormeau Park

Belfast Events and Festivals in June - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• Sonorities Festival - mid-June, held at the Belfast Queen's University School of Music, this popular music festival includes famous pianists and musicians

Belfast Events and Festivals in July - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• Belfast Orange Marches - early July, Orange Marches take place throughout Belfast for the first two weeks of July
• Belfast Rose Week Festival - mid-July, this free Belfast event is held at the International Rose Garden at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, where there are thousands of roses in bloom
• Opera in the Park - mid-July, with free admission, this musical Belfast event takes place in Belfast's spectacular Botanic Gardens
• Summer Health Walk / Belfast Castle Walk - late July, a summer walk in the Belfast Castle estate
• Belfast Family Fun Day - late July, this exciting Belfast event has many attractions for children, including face painting, bouncy castles and lots of fun activities
• Exotica Garden Walk - late July, held at Belfast's Mount Steward, examining many unusual plant specimens from around the world
• World Championships of Irish Music - late July / early August, this important Belfast music festival is held at the Francis McPeake School of Music
• Belfast Pride - late July / early August, many events, gay marches, parades, receptions and bus tours take place throughout Belfast
• New Lodge Festival - late July, with many lively festivities, including musical and sports events, held at various venues around Belfast's New Lodge area
• Woodfest - late July / early August, with carpentry demonstrations at Belfast's Ulster American Folk Park

Belfast Events and Festivals in August - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• West Belfast Community Festival (Feile an Phobail) - mid-August, this popular Belfast community festival attracts thousands of participants each year in Belfast
• Belfast Choral and Organ Music - early August, held at Belfast's impressive St. Anne's Cathedral, including choral and pipe-organ music
• Children's Summer Festival - early August, many fun activities and events are held at Belfast's Island Arts Centre in Lagan Valley Island
• Carnival Parade - early August, this Belfast carnival starts Conway Street and finishes in Falls Park, in central Belfast
• Belfast Park Fun - early August, many festivities and activities are held at Belfast's Fall Park and this popular Belfast event is organised by the West Belfast Festival
• Country Capers - early August, with children's entertainment, obstacle races, face painting and other lively activities taking place at Belfast's Ardress House
• Belfast Summer Fun Day - early August, with numerous activities for children aged between 5 to 12 years old at Belfast's Dunville Park
• Belfast and Furious - early August, this popular Belfast car event includes large car trade stands, stunt shows, marquees and hundreds of sporty cars
• Local and Family History Fair - mid-August, held at Belfast's Central Hall, including many exhibitions and displays
• Belfast Street Parties - mid-August, street parties and festivals are held throughout Belfast's local communities
• Band Performance - mid-August, the start of Belfast's summer brass bands, held in the grounds of Belfast's City Hall
• Crescent Cabaret - mid-August, live music events held at the Belfast Crescent Arts Centre in University Road
• Summer of Love - late August, musical events at Belfast's stunning Grand Opera House
• River 'Rock' Music Revolution - late August, held at Belfast's Lagan Valley Island, with many major performers
• Traditional Irish Evening - late August, an evening of traditional music and dance, held in the beautiful surroundings of the Crom Estate, on the outskirts of Belfast
• Ballyclare Ladies Hockey Tournament - late August, this important Belfast sporting event takes place at Ballyclare Rugby Club
• Band Performances - late August, brass bands play in Belfast's central Castle Place
• Badminton Bonanza - late August, the popular Belfast sports badminton event is held in Belfast's Valley leisure centre
• Newtownabbey Shoreline Festival - late August, a popular Belfast event for all of the family, at Jordanstown Loughshore Park

Belfast Events and Festivals in September - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• Belfast Ideal Home Exhibition - mid-September, the busy Belfast exhibition features many stalls offering useful household information and the latest gadgets
• Havana Ché - early September, with Latin dance exhibitions, live music and Latin DJs at Belfast's grand Odyssey Pavilion
• Belfast Mela Festival 2004 - early September, Belfast's Botanic Gardens are host to dances, children's activities, market stalls, arts displays, charity events, and general Belfast festivities
• Jazz in the Garden - early September, this afternoon jazz event takes place in Belfast's Mount Stewart
• Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival - early September, held at Belfast's Ulster American Folk Park
• World Cup Football - mid-September, qualifying matches to place at Belfast's Windsor Park Stadium as the football seasons gets underway in Belfast
• Belfast Youth Opera - mid-September, operatic performances take place in Belfast's prestigious Grand Opera House
• Proms in the Park - mid-September, this spectacular Belfast concert is held in Belfast's vast Donegall Square and attracts large crowds
• The All Ireland Corporate Games Belfast - late September, this major annual multisport festival includes many team events, including soccer, golf, dragon boat racing, running, athletics and hockey
• Garden Gourmet - late September, held at Belfast's Botanic Gardens, with many culinary demonstrations, music, children's entertainment and food stalls
• Errigle Inn Invitational Basketball Tournament - late September, at Belfast's Queen's University Physical Education Centre
• Belfast Classic Golf Challenge - late September, an annual favourite for golfers in Belfast, this Belfast golfing event is held at Shandon Park, Malone Golf Club and Dunmurry Golf Club

Belfast Events and Festivals in December - Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK

• Belfast Indoor International Horse Show - early December, this important Belfast horse event is held at Belfast's Odyssey Arena
• Pantomime Season - December to January, traditional pantomimes performed at theatres in Belfast and throughout Ireland
• Christmas - December 24th to 25th, Christian celebrations include going to midnight mass on Christmas Eve in Belfast
• St. Stephen's Day - December 26th, a number of charity events take place in Belfast

 
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